It's a groundbreaking day for LGBT rights in Europe!! Foreign affairs ministers from 27 European Union nations have adopted a binding policy that instructs diplomats around the world to defend LGBT rights.

The Council of the European Union*, the body that represents the 27 national governments in the EU, had already adopted a non-binding toolkit to promote LGBT people’s human rights in June 2010.

Three years later, foreign affairs ministers have now upgraded the document to these new Guidelines to promote and protect the enjoyment of all human rights by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) persons.

The Guidelines will be binding. The EU’s diplomatic efforts will revolve around four priorities:

Eliminate discriminatory laws and policies, including the death penalty

Promote equality and non-discrimination at work, in healthcare and in education

Combat state or individual violence against LGBTI persons

Support and protect human rights defenders

Ulrike Lunacek MEP, Co-President of the LGBT Intergroup, welcomed the new document: “It is absolutely ground-breaking that the 27 foreign affairs ministers agreed to this, and only three years after the LGBT Toolkit. And I’m very happy the document pays particular attention to trans and intersex people, as well as lesbian and bisexual women at risk of gender-based violence.”

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This is huge progress! Hopefully we'll see these new guidelines swiftly applied.